


12 days

by Violet26



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Fall (Hannibal), Romance, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-09-20 14:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17024100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet26/pseuds/Violet26
Summary: Starting with a partridge on the branch of their Christmas tree, Hannibal begins leaving Will a gift on each of the twelve days of Christmas. He seems to be coordinating with the song of that name as best as he can. He says it's a new tradition but Will begins to wonder if there's something more to it.Twelve days, twelve holiday moments in Will and Hannibal's new life together. Inspired by the song: "The Twelve days of Christmas".





	1. A partridge in a pear tree

**Author's Note:**

> I looked up the dates for the 12 days of Christmas and received a couple different answers. The most popular one was December 25th thru January 5th so I'm using that in the story. I'm sorry if that's wrong.

It was early Christmas morning when Will made his way to the living room with a stretch and yawn. As he entered the, still dark,  room he noticed the tree in the corner was already gleaming. Smiling, Will was about to go to find Hannibal, who he figured was working in the kitchen, when something caught his eye.

On a branch of the tree, towards the middle, he noticed a decoration that hadn't been there the night before. A little bird ornament stood out strikingly amongst the others.The bird appeared to a partridge.

Will approached the tree then ran a hand tentatively over the painted glass bird. He found it a strange addition to the traditional decorations. “What's this?” he asked Hannibal, curiously, feeling the other man’s presence before actually hearing his footsteps. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and he shuddered lightly at the familiar embrace.

"A gift.” Hannibal replied, simply.

Will laughed. He knew under the tree was an assortment of too expensive clothes, cologne and no doubt a new watch (because his current one was over a year old and that simply wouldn't do). He knew this because Hannibal was Hannibal. He liked to dress Will and despite Will finding it annoying, he let him. Though, as time passed, and Will became used to them, he found he really didn't mind the clothes. Of course, he'd never admit it aloud. So, he found the thought of Hannibal buying him something so simple as a Christmas ornament amusing. “Like the song?” he questioned. "A partridge in a pear tree?"  
  
"I admit, I took liberty with the tree." Hannibal answered, still holding Will around the waist and resting his chin lightly on the younger man’s shoulder.  
  
Will smirked and shook his head in a mixture of humour and disbelief. "So, we're celebrating the twelve days of Christmas now?"  
  
Hannibal answered with the corner of his mouth up turning into a small smile, though Will couldn't see it. "It would be nice to start a new tradition, would it not?"  
  
Will just laughed again before replying, "I suppose, but warn me next time you wanna try something new. I put all your gifts under the tree already.”  
  
Hannibal kissed the younger man on the cheek before pulling away. "Of course. However, it's unnecessary for you to buy me anything Will. Your company is all I desire."  
  
With a snort Will glanced at him before looking back at the tall tree and the bird. He had heard that kind of compliment before from the older man but he still wasn't able to graciously accept it. “I'm pretty sure you don't have to buy the things in the song.” He called, pointedly, as the older man walked back to the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, he received no reply.

 

 

 


	2. 2 turtle doves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't make it before the end of the 26th, sorry. I also apologize for another short chapter.

The fire felt nice, especially after a half hour of playing outside with the beagle Hannibal had surprised him with for Christmas. Dusty, (Being a rescue it was named already, Will didn't want to change it) seemed to agree as he snored only a few feet away from where he stood. 

Will knelt close to the fireplace to warm his hands better. He appreciated times like this, he thought as he watched the blazing fire. These were the rare moments when his mind was thankfully quiet. 

Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long. Will's knees began to protest and he had to stand. He dusted his pants off and as he straightened up he noticed it. On the fireplace mantle were two small, white bird ornaments. _“Turtle doves.”_ He thought as he held one up to examine it. He couldn't help but smile. 

After finding the partridge on Christmas morning and from the way Hannibal had talked, Will had assumed he would find something for the next eleven days. He had been surprised when earlier that morning he hadn't and almost bought it up. Deciding against it, he brushed the matter aside, continued with his morning and eventually found himself outside with the dog.

Placing the ornament back in its place Will turned around and was a bit surprised when he saw Hannibal sitting in the chair not far from him, book in hand and watching him. Will quickly recovered from his surprise and went to sit on the couch next to the older man's chair. “So you're going to continue with the gifts?” he asked with curiosity.

Hannibal, who had tried to make it look like he was reading when Will had took a seat, looked up. “Of course.” He replied casually before returning his attention to his book.

Will nodded and reached for his own book  from the side table that sat between the chair and couch. When he noticed the small smirk on Hannibal's face, he grinned.


	3. 3 French hens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had originally planned on posting one chapter for each of the 12 days but, despite how short these chapters have been, haven't been able to do it. I do plan on continuing this though, for anyone wanting to know.

Will received another dirty look from the tailor who was checking to see if any last minute adjustments needed to be made to his suit. Hannibal and him would be going out in a few days (Will didn't know where because it was a surprise) and he'd needed the clothes today, if possible. He kept fidgeting and knew it was making things take longer but he felt antsy and anxious. “Will, try to stand still.” Hannibal whispered to him.

Will knew the older man was trying to be patient but he could see the small twitch under Hannibal’s eye as he spoke. He couldn't help it though, he hated this part. New clothing was one thing but specially tailored clothes he could could live without.

“Tell me again why I can't wear one of my old suits?” Will asked Hannibal, impatiently, as he glanced at the picture on his phone once they were left alone. It was a picture Hannibal had tooken of three black and white hens. They seemed to be sitting on a pile of artificial snow and were surrounded by other Christmas ornaments and decorations, though the birds were clearly the focus of his picture. “Where'd you say you took this again?” He asked. He didn't wait to get an answer for his previous question. He knew  _that_ answer already anyway.

Hannibal brushed (what Will assumed was imaginary considering how clean the jacket seemed to be) lint off Will's shoulder. "A little shop that we passed when you first got fitted for your suit had a display in the window."

"Convenient." Will stated as he handed Hannibal his phone and removed his suit jacket so it could be made ready for him to take with him.

Once they were in their car and headed back home, Will turned towards Hannibal. "Out of curiosity, what would you had done for the gift today if you hadn't seen that window display?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow. 

Hannibal continued staring out the dash at the road but he gave a small smirk of amusement before answering. "I had planned on placing three pillows in the shape of hens on the bed while you slept. I found some quite realistic ones online." 

Will was quiet as he turned back to face the road but shuddered at the image Hannibal's answer provided him. A childhood event made him really uneasy around any chicken not on the dinner plate. "I see." He answered calmly. For the most part he trusted Hannibal now but there still were some things the other man just didn't need to know. 


	4. 4 Calling  (Colly?) Birds

The day had went on as most days had for them for the last year. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Nothing out of the ordinary except for Will finding Hannibal's "Twelve days of Christmas" gift for him. It was day four and the older man had created a drawing for Will of four blackbirds perched on a tree branch. The drawing was simple yet so detailed Will couldn't help find it just as remarkable as most of Hannibal's art. 

That had been early morning. It was now close to evening and everything in the cabin felt and looked warm, peaceful. Hannibal and Will sat at the small dinner table in the kitchen.They had been sitting in comfortable silence during the course of the meal but now that they finished, Will thought it would be a good time to mention today's gift. "The drawing, from this morning, it's really nice." He told the other man as he stood and began to clear his spot.

"I'm happy you like it." Hannibal replied as he helped Will clear the rest of the table. 

"So, we're on four calling birds" Will began after he bought the dishes to the sink and started to rinse them. As he ran dish water he thought of the lyrics to the song, of what the next verse was and what Hannibal might do for the gift when the other man spoke up.

"Did you know," Hannibal began as he passed Will a plate to dry. Will glanced at him and he continued. "The term for the four birds in the song was colly prior to calling? It referred to the European blackbird. Colly meaning black, as in coaly." 

"Really?" Will asked curiously. Hannibal nodded and continued. "I believe it was around the 1950s or 60s that 'calling' began to match colly in popularity and around the 1970s it seemed to become the more commonly used word in the song. Though, I imagine some still sing it colly today."

Will looked thoutfull. "Hmm." He placed the dish in his hand into the cupboard then turned to face Hannibal, leaning his hip against the counter. "I used to wonder what a calling bird was. As I got older I assumed it meant a songbird." 

"Many do." Hannibal replied as he let down the dish water. After drying his hands, he fully turned towards Will. 

Will faced the older man and watched as Hannibal seemed to study him for a moment. Then the older man reached out and placed a hand on the side of his face, right over his scar. Will felt himself flinch at the touch. It was an automatic response. The scar on his face healed better than Will had thought it would, given the circumstances, but he still covered it with a thicker beard. It stood out too clearly for Will's liking when his face was shaved. It no longer bothered him (no longer  hurt) but he was still acutely aware of it and didn't care to have it touched .

Hannibal stroked a thumb along Will's cheek and Will almost pulled away. As he met Hannibal's gaze (Will would have to call it loving) he decided against moving. He didn't think he'd ever know what would turn washing dishes and sharing a fact about a Christmas song lyric into a moment like that one but he recognized the shift in the air. He smiled gently before speaking, "Let's go to the bedroom." Hannibal didn't say another word, he just grabbed Will's hand and led the way.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The info. I got about colly vs. Calling was on Wikipedia and another page I found on Google.


	5. 5 Golden r----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had meant to get this out a lot sooner, I apologize for that. I do plan to finishing the story though!

_"Some surprise."_ Will thought bitterly as he fought the urge to roll his eyes again. He grabbed a flute of champagne from the tray the nearby server held and took a deep drink. He had to keep himself from saying something he shouldn't. They were at a charity ball and with this being only the second event he had attended with Hannibal (and only the third one Hannibal had attended in ages) he didn't want to ruin it. It was becoming increasingly hard to keep quiet though. The man standing uncomfortably close to him was the definition of obnoxious and was quickly grating Will's nerves.

The man next to Will was Charles something or other (Will forgot) the third. He was in his early twenties, brash and had no business being among the particular crowd they stood among (not that Will could talk really but that was another story).

Charles may have come from money but he had none of his own and no intention to work for it. He was spoiled, felt entitled, and was loud. He also had no problem telling the little group that had gathered around them all about the perks of dating, the much older, Ms. Susan Robertson.  

Will grit his teeth in distaste and annoyance and downed the rest of his drink. As another server walked by with more champagne he exchanged his empty flute for another. It was bad enough Charles was taking advantage of Ms. Robertson but bragging about it and acting like there was nothing wrong with it was almost too much for Will. He scanned the room, desperately trying to spot Hannibal. He had had more than his fair share of the pompous, heartless, narcissistic young man. 

"Come on," Charles began (catching Will's attention again) as more than a few disapproving looks were thrown his way. "It's not like I'm the only one who does it." He clapped Will on the back with a large hand and Will held back a growl before taking a large gulp of champagne. "Right Evan." 

"What?" Will asked, confused. He waited for the other man to clarify, not having heard the implication. 

"You got yourself a sugar daddy." Charles replied rather matteroffactly and watched Will expectantly. 

Will nearly choked on the sip of champagne he had just drank. "Excuse me?"  He asked the younger man, eyebrows raised.

Charles laughed at Will's reaction. "Come on. Adam seems nice. He has a distinguished look and all, but he's, what, at least ten years older than you?" He sipped his own drink before continuing. "You two can't possibly have that much in common." He paused before adding "Admit it, you give him a little something," he raised his glass at Will and winked. "And he gives you something." He then nodded towards the watch on Will's wrist. It just happened to rest on the same arm Will held up every time he took a drink. 

Will's stomach turned. Sure, he knew their were other people who whispered similar things.Things that suggested he was in his relationship for the money. However, no one had ever said it directly to him before. It felt like a slap to the face. He was far from a saint but he wouldn't do that, he wouldn't use someone for money.

Unfortunately, he had been dependent on Hannibal's money for a good year and a half. Once they had settled into their cabin Will had found a temporary job but up until then, Hannibal had been responsible for Evan's  bank account.  _"I might have needed it but his money sure as hell isn't the reason I'm with him."_ Will narrowed his eyes and was about to speak up when he felt a hand on the small of his back. He turned his head to face Hannibal and noticed Charles's hand left his shoulder immediately.

There were a few whispers and some greetings when everyone noticed Hannibal. Charles showed no shame as he smiled and greeted him. "Evening Adam." 

Hannibal nodded a greeting politely. "Charles." He met Will's eyes for a moment before returning his attention back to the others. "I'm sorry for the interruption but I'm afraid Evan and I have to leave." Will smiled for the first time that night as the two of them said their goodbyes.

Hannibal and Will made their way home in silence but that silence was quickly broken the minute Will walked thru the threshold. He wasted no time before loosening his tie and tossing his coat and suit jacket on the sofa. "You could have told me where we were going." He snapped at Hannibal before walking over to get a fire started. He knelt down in front of the fireplace, trying to calm himself. He wasn't really upset with the older man and knew it was unfair to take it out on him but the frustration he felt from what happened at the ball still vibrated through his body. 

Hannibal was about to reply to Will when his eyes spotted the younger man’s jacket and coat. He debated on whether he should pick them up or leave them for Will to get later. He knew that continuing to live with Will meant there were going to be parts of the other man’s personality he'd have to accept but old habits died hard. He grabbed the offending clothing off the sofa and turned to Will. It was then he noticed that the younger man was staring at the mantle above the fireplace.

"This is wrong." Will said, confused. He picked up one of the wooden cravings and examined it. 

Hannibal questioned him. "What's wrong Will?"

Will placed the little drummer back in it's place among the other four cravings before facing Hannibal. "It's the fifth day, it should be rings not drummers."

 _"Oh, that."_ Hannibal thought. "Hmm, It seems I made a mistake." he replied simply.  

Will snorted. "You? A mistake?" He began. "I know you make them, occasionally, but you don't admit to them."

Hannibal's eyebrows raised. "I believe I have admitted to my mistakes before." He replied pointedly.

Will paused as their eyes met. He knew what Hannibal was referring to and the route their conversation could take. He also knew neither of them wanted to travel that road tonight nor anytime soon. He nodded, "Of course." He let a brief silence pass between them before adding. "It's getting late, we should head to bed." 

Hannibal gestured for Will to lead the way to their bedroom. "I'll have to get you some rings on the twelfth day to make up for this one." He said as Will walked past him.

Will smiled gently. "I look forward to it."

 

 


	6. Six geese a laying

Trying to push himself into the mattress and burrowing further under the covers Will ignored the sound. It sounded like a dog howling but he passed it off as a dream. He didn't dream of Wolf Trap and his old pack as often as he used to but every now and again he still did and his sleep addled brain insisted that had to be it.

When Will heard the sound again, louder than before, he realized the chance of it being from a dream was slim. He felt blindly  around the other side of the bed for Hannibal. He wasn't ready to open his eyes quite yet but after finding the other side of the bed empty and hearing the howling again Will groaned and got up. It hit him as soon as his feet hit the the floor, they had a dog now. Dusty was the one howling and he sounded upset about something.

Will pulled on a pair of pants and made his way to the living room. He called for Hannibal as he searched the cabin for both the other man and their young beagle. After some searching Will felt confused. He figured the dog may be outside but he couldn't imagine were Hannibal was. He didn't see a note or anything. He called out a few more times before deciding to go outside and try to find Dusty. The dog still seemed pretty worked up.

Grabbing a jacket, Will began walking towards the door but paused halfway there. The howling was pretty constant and seemed to be followed by little yipps. He knew it might be paranoia but he checked to make sure he had his knife on him before continuing. Once he knew he was armed, Will continued outside. 

Will spotted the beagle almost immediately after he made his way to the backyard. Dusty was howling at and jumping around a group of, what looked like, small animals of some sort. Will squinted at the sight. It was still early morning and still dark so everything wasn't clear from his distance. "What the fuck?" He questioned aloud. He called the dog to him as he approached the scene carefully. The animal hesitated a moment before bonding over to Will. He wagged his tail happily and excitedly walked beside his master as they went to investigate.

Surprisingly the animals the dog had been howling at didn't move as Will and Dusty continued to approach. The closer Will got the more the shapes became clear and he realized they looked like large bids, like ducks or, _"Geese"_ Will thought in disbelief. "Hannibal!" He called for the other man but as soon as he turned around towards the cabin he realized Hannibal stood only a few feet away from him, a small smirk playing on his face. "Seriously?" Will asked with raised eyebrows. 

"I'm afraid real geese would have been difficult to get this time of year." Hannibal replied simply. 

Will laughed then shook his head in a mixture of relief and amusement. "I'm going inside." The twelve days of gifts idea had seemed charming at first, now Will wasn't so sure. With one last glance at the six ceramic geese in the yard he called to Dusty and walked towards the house. Hannibal followed behind them.


	7. 7 swans a swimming

Placing the book in his hands back on the end table next his chair, Will stood up and stretched. It was a good story but he realized he was getting hungry. He hadn't eaten prior to Hannibal leaving to go the town for food and supplies. He may have been used to Hannibal cooking but he hadn't forgotten how to fend for himself  _yet_.

Will made his way to the kitchen and opened the fridge. However, before he really looked around he closed the door again and glanced at something that he'd seen out of the corner of his eye. Held against the door with a silver magnet was a narrow and long piece of paper. On the top of the paper was a drawn picture of a white swan with three curvy lines under (to represent water) and directly underneath was the word: Swans. Beneath the word was a couple paragraphs about mythology and swans. It told the story of Zeus and Leda, the human female Zeus seduced while in the form of a swan.

Will cringed after reading the story. He had heard it before and always found it strange. He shook his head to clear it and continued his hunt for food.

After eating Will glanced around the kitchen. He figured the note on swans must be day seven's gift but it didn't seem complete. There was only one after all. Then he spotted a similar piece of paper, though shorter, to the one on the fridge taped to a nearby cupboard.

He walked to it and sure enough it had the same swan on the top and below that a sentence: "The phrase swan song comes from the belief that the swan sings as it dies." Will frowned. That may be legend but in reality they don't. He knows that. He thought on the note for a moment before searching for the other five swans.

The next note was on the fireplace mantle, under the doves. Under the picture it read: "Though in some regions the swan was seen as a feminine symbol of the moon, in most it was a masculine symbol of the sun. In ancient Greece, the swan was linked to Apollo, the god of the Sun. And in Celtic myth, a pair of swans steered the Sunboat across heaven." Will hmmed then quietly added the paper to the collection he held in his other hand and continued his search.

On the bathroom door he found a note that read: "The swan symbolizes grace and beauty. It is associated with love, music, and poetry." There was one on the sink too: "In Celtic and Siberian culture stories existed of swans turning into maidens."

The spare bedroom, which Hannibal used as a study, had a note on his desk. This one was about shamanism and swans: "In shamanism the Swan totem is associated with love, inspiration, intuition, self-transformation, gracefulness, beauty, and with traveling to the Otherworld."

Will found the last note attached to their bedroom door. It read: "As a dream symbol, the swan can signify self transformation, intuition, sensitivity, and even the soul, the ‘higher Self’ within each person." He smiled softly at how fitting that one seemed to be and how perfect the place Hannibal chose to put it.

Staring at the notes in his hands Will reflected on the last few days, all the gifts. The whole thing was odd and Will still wondered if there was something more to it but, at the same time, it was sweet. 

Hearing footsteps sound behind him Will turned towards Hannibal. He met the older man's eyes but remained silent. 

Hannibal looked at Will with concern. "Is everything alright?"

Will didn't answer, he just gripped the lapels of the other man’s jacket and pulled him in for a kiss. It began chaste but quickly deepened and they only parted when air became necessary.

Hannibal stepped back a moment in surprise. He sent Will a questioning look. "Just wanted to say thank you." Will responded. A small, fond smile formed on Hannibal's lips. "You're welcome. "

Will wasn't good with words, even now. He was better but still, he fond action preferable and he had more he wanted to express. He grabbed Hannibal's hand and led him through the nearby door. Hannibal followed without protest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tidbits about swans aren't mine (though I knew some of them previously). My sources were sites I found on Google which included these original sources: 
> 
> -The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. 
> 
> -Theoi Project © Copyright 2000 - 2017 Aaron J. Atsma, Netherlands & New Zealand


	8. 8 maids a milking

Will was starting to feel obsessed. He had began searching for day eight's Christmas gift the minute he had got out of bed and continued searching for nearly twenty minutes before remembering he needed to get ready for work. Even at work he couldn't stop thinking about it. 

* * *

That evening, after Will had finished working, he collapsed into the dinning room chair while Hannibal served up dinner. Once his plate was full Will picked at his food. He was starving, but exhaustion and a mind that was still trying to figure out what he had missed in his earlier search stopped him from eatting.

Hannibal noticed Will's lack of interest in his food and was about to ask why when the younger man placed his fork down on his plate, loudly.  "I give up." Will announced. Hannibal waited for an explanation. "I'm afraid you'll have to clarify." He responded when Will didn't expand on his answer.

Will glanced at Hannibal, surprised. He hadn't realized he had spoken aloud. "Today's gift." He began. "There's nothing new on the mantle, no scavenger hunt of facts, no pictures and no women dressed in old fashioned dresses freezing their asses off on the front lawn demonstrating how to milk a cow." He finished, feeling frustrated (though he was unsure why).

"Will" Hannibal interrupted, eyebrows raised .

"What?" Will asked, feeling generally confused. Then it hit him, his language. Fighting an eyeroll he apologized. "Sorry." He rubbed his eyes briefly, trying to chase away the drowsiness he was still feeling. "Freezing their butts off." Hannibal nodded, happy with the correction and Will continued. "So, where is it?"

"Did you check the tree?" Hannibal questioned before he resumed eating. 

Will almost laughed. "The tree." He repeated Hannibal's words then closed his eyes and shook his head. " After the partridge I didn't think..." He trailed then grinned. "Of course." He started to eating again.

After Hannibal and Will finished their meal and cleaned up Will walked over to the tree. He quickly found the new ornament and laughed at himself for not seeing it sooner. 

The ornament was a silver circle. It was flat but heavy. Towards the front was the bust of a woman wearing an old looking hat or bonnet. A cow was engraved in the center and seven other women outlined the back.

Will traced the object in his hands with a thumb, admiring it, before placing it back on the branch. With a yawn he decided it was time to end the day. As he passed Hannibal, (who was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame) Will offered a small smile and a quiet "Thank you. "


	9. 9 ladies dancing

Will laughed at the small beagle as it bounded into the house, still snow covered. It shook off once in the kitchen and Will bent to pat it's head. "Don't let your other daddy see you do that." He told the dog before standing back up and tried to work a kink out of his neck. "He'd probably make me mop it up with one of my old flannels."

"Well now," Hannibal announced as he entered the room. "There's a idea."

Will bit his lip to hold back more laughter. "Don't worry I'll clean it up." He stated as he turned around. When he turned he noticed the older man eyed Dusty with an unreadable expression. He knew Hannibal didn't dislike the dog as much as he led on (despite referring to the beagle as an ugly rug instead of using his name). You don't buy an animal a thirty dollar bag of food or make the food  yourself if you don't have a certain fondness for it. Still, the older man liked a clean kitchen and, at that moment, the floor in their kitchen was anything but. 

"It can wait." Hannibal replied, casually, shocking Will. "I have a surprise for you." He met Will's eyes before holding out one arm and handing the object he held to the other man.

Will raised an eyebrow at Hannibal but reached for the object nonetheless. "Will I like the surprise?" He asked, eyeing the long, thin, cylinder package in his hand.

"No." Hannibal answered honestly. 

Will was a bit tooken back by the other man’s answer. They tried to be honest with each other but that didn't stop Hannibal from telling Will things like; "It'll be a new experience" or "You might like it if you give it a chance" to get him do something he wanted to do, go to the opera, or a play, or a _charity ball_. Will frowned at the memory. 

Looking at the tube in his hand, Will sighed and decided to go for it. He opened the cover on one end and shook out it's contents. It seemed to be a rolled up poster. Placing the tube and cover on the nearby counter, Will unrolled poster and looked at it. It was an old looking picture with a line of very attractive ballet dancers, dressed in white, striking a pose. Judging from the background he'd guess it was from "The Nutcracker". Glancing at the bottom of the poster Will confirmed his guess when he saw the name of the ballet, the date and the name of the theater. 

It was the ninth day of Christmas. That meant nine ladies dancing as a gift and sure enough nine dancers graced the page. Will grinned at the picture though he was  confused by something. Hannibal said he wouldn't like his surprise but there wasn't anything about this he disliked. It wasn't anything he'd pick up for himself, of course, but it was a really nice poster. "Why did you think I wouldn't like this?" Will questioned but continued before Hannibal could answer. "The way you talked," he said, still grinning. "I would have suspected tickets to an actual bal..." Will's words trailed as he saw Hannibal hold up two tickets. His eyes narrowed. "No." He replied quickly to the unsaid question. He shook his head. "No Hannibal." He said firmly. " I appreciate this" he held up the poster. "And everything you've done but we're always doing what you want. Operas, balls and now this." Will gestured to the tickets in Hannibal's hand. 

"I seem to remember you turning down the tickets I had for that play.." Hannibal began but Will interrupted. "I had the flu!" He replied, exasperated. Hannibal was queit for a moment then spoke up again, "We wouldn't be attending the one on the poster, if that's the problem. It's one I thought you might enjoy. "

Will stared at the older man in disbelief. "That's not the pro...." He trailed and breathed deeply in and let his breath out slowly. He met the other man’s eyes. "Go fishing with me." He paused and watched Hannibal's reaction. The older man's head tilted slightly, he was curiously. "Promise me you'll go fishing with me and I'll go to that with you."  He pointed to the poster he had placed on the counter moments ago.

Hannibal nodded, agreeing to Will's deal a lot quicker than Will had thought he would. "I suppose that's fair." Hannibal replied. 

"Really?" Will questioned, hopeful. 

"Of course. We should be doing things you enjoy together too." Hannibal stepped forward, placed the tickets he held onto the counter next to the poster then gave Will a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Now that's settled, perhaps you could clean up your dog's mess."

Will glanced down and saw the water from the melted snow. He had almost forgot about it. " Yeah, I'm on it." He went to find the mop as Hannibal left the room. Hannibal was going to go fishing with him, he couldn't believe it. He smirked as he mopped the mess up. _"That should be interesting."_ He thought. 

 


	10. 10 Lords a leaping

It hurt. It hurt so bad and tears were streaming down Will's face. He clenched his stomach as his body continued to spasm. He hadn't felt like this in ages. "Oh God," he cried when he managed a breath. 

Hannibal called to him from the other room, "It wasn't that funny Will." The annoyance in his voice was clear but Will couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. The laughter continued.

Will straightened himself out in his chair and tried to reign in the fit of laughter as the other man entered the living room. "You're right, you're right. I apologize." He said, as he wiped the remaining tears from his eyes with the heels of his hands. He felt a bit bad for upsetting Hannibal but he still felt like their whole fishing trip had been funny as hell. 

"Had I known I'd be laughed at and mocked I might have thought twice about fishing with you. " Hannibal told Will as he took a seat in his chair.

Will raised an eyebrow at the older man's offended tone. "Excuse me?" He shook his head in amusement and mild annoyance.  "No, no, no. You don't get to play that card with me." Hannibal watched him carefully, a frown still gracing his face, but he didn't say anything. "I've been to two of your stuffy suit and dress events and promised to join you for another." He paused for a moment to see if Hannibal would speak up. When he didn't Will continued. "You paraded me around like a show horse. I've been gawked at and called a gold digger."  Will stood up and walked to Hannibal's chair. "I think," He straddled the other man’s thighs before dropping onto his lap. Hannibal's hands automatically went to Will's waist to keep him in place. "You can handle a little mocking." Will said as he wrapped his arms around Hannibal's neck. He met the other man’s eyes before ducking his head to nuzzle against his neck.

Hannibal thought it was irony that Will had such a connection to dogs when he could act so much like a feline. His head fell back as Will began to mark his neck. He almost forgot about the gift he still had to give to Will when he felt the younger man slowly roll his hips. With some difficulty Hannibal stilled the man in his lap. 

Will pulled back, frustrated. "Are you still upset?" He asked. "Not being the best fisherman (Not being the best fisherman was putting it mildly. However, the look the other man had given their bait as Will handed it to him, that's what had had Will doubling over with laughter) isn't something to pout over." 

Hannibal was about to protest, he did not pout, but he reached a hand over to the side table instead. Will watched him curiously. Hannibal handed him a paper. It was another of the older man's drawings.

"Wow" Will stated, impressed. "This is even better than the birds." It was a finely detailed charcoal of ten danseuse/ ballerinos (Hannibal had told him the French and Italian terms for the male dancers in the ballet when they had discussed their upcoming visit). "We'll have to find a frame for it." He smiled.

"Later." Hannibal replied, carefully taking the picture from Will's hand and placing it back on the table. He dug the fingers of one hand into Will's hair at the back of his head and wrapped an arm tightly around the younger man’s waist. "There's something we should finish first. Will smirked.  


	11. 11 Pipers Piping

Will sighed as he stood in front of the mirror while he finished dressing. He wasn't really looking forward to that night's event but he had promised Hannibal that he'd try to enjoy himself. He put his jacket on, straightened his tie and ran a hand through his hair. With one last sigh, Will exited their bedroom.

Hannibal was finishing up in the bathroom, leaving Will to pace while he waited. As he made his way around the living room Will remembered he hadn't looked for today's gift. It surprised him, seeing how much he'd been thinking of them lately. He kept thinking of how silly yet sweet it was that Hannibal had went to all the trouble. He also kept thinking  how strange it seemed that it would be soon ending.

Walking to the fireplace mantle, Will easily spotted the new addition. Eleven carved pipers stood grouped together. He took in each individual piece then picked one up and admired the workmanship. Just like the others, they were really well crafted.

Will placed the little decoration back in it's spot as he heard Hannibal enter the room. "Are you ready?" The older man asked and Will nodded. 

* * *

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" Hannibal asked as Will and him removed their coats and hung them up.

"Depends on what you're asking about." Will replied as he called to Dusty to let the dog outside. "The actual ballet, no. It was better than I expected." He watched the beagle scamper across the snow for a moment before closing the door. "The intermission, the mingling, that was bad." Will walked to the kitchen to start some tea as he continued talking. "While you were conversing with whomever, two men and three women flirted with me, a group of people with absolutely no sense of personal space crowded around me to talk, and a woman, old as time itself, pinched my cheek like I was a ten year old kid and told me how handsome I am." Will complained. 

"Well, you are quit handsome." Hannibal replied as Will handed him a cup of tea. He smirked at the look he received from Will. 

Will shook his head, not remotely amused, as he headed to the door to let Dusty in. Once the dog was safely inside Will grabbed his own cup and followed Hannibal into the living room. He took his seat and glanced at the older man. "So, tomorrow's the last day of the twelve days." Hannibal nodded. "Got something special planned?" Will asked, curiously. 

Hannibal gave a hint of a smile. "It's a surprise, but I believe I owe you some rings to make up for day five's gift." 

"That's right." Will stated as he stood back up and walked to stand in front of the fireplace. "I almost forgot." He knelt down to start a fire. "That should be interesting."

Hannibal intently watched Will as he worked. "Very." He replied quietly. 

 


	12. 12 Drummers Drumming or Golden rings?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finished, yay! Whether this story gets a lot of attention or not, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. There's a couple chapters that might not seem as creative as others but I gotta tell you, it wasn't easy coming up with those gifts. I think one of my favorite parts of writing this, which was also the most frustrating, was the research. I did more research for this story than I've done for any of my others and I learned a lot of different things, including the meaning behind some of the lyrics to the song that inspired this. This took a lot longer than planned but I'm happy I was able to finish it. 
> 
> A little warning. There's a scene in this chapter that strays away from average fluff and stuff and wanders into "Hannibal" style fluff. It's not super descriptive so I think I'm fine with the current rating but I just wanted to mention it.

The drive had taken nearly three hours already and Will was beginning to get restless. He stared out the passenger window, fighting off the urge to ask the child's question; _"Are we there yet?"_. Finally, twenty minutes and multiple back roads later, Hannibal was traveling down a lightly snow-covered dirt path to the edge of a forest. After finding a good place to park, Will was told it was time to walk. Fifteen minutes after that and Hannibal didn't have to tell Will they arrived at the right spot, he knew it the minute they entered the cleaning. 

A few yards away from the two men was (what Will assumed) part of Hannibal's final gift to Will. Will had to admit, as much as he liked his previous gifts, this one was by far his favorite. It was breath-taking.

A man appeared to be leaning back against a tree. His head was tilted down a bit and his eyes were closed. His arms were bent at the elbows and met in front of him. In his hands was something large and dark pinkish-red in color and he seemed to be presenting it. He seemed to be relaxing yet there was no doubt that any spark of life, the soul he may have once had, had left him some time ago. 

Will stepped closer to the body bound to the tree with a twisted smile as he realized who the man was. It was Charles from the charity ball Hannibal and Will had attended days prior. The narcissistic gold digger was now on display for Will and Will loved it.

The man’s chest had been cut open. From what Will could tell both of his lungs and his heart were removed and replaced by red and white roses. The heart, Will noticed as he continued to examine the scene, was what the man held in his outstretched hands. The lungs he couldn't see but he could guess where those were.

Taking in the whole scene once more; the early morning light, the fresh snow that had fallen earlier that day, the man in a suit (shirt opened were he was carved into), head bowed and heart in hands, the otherwise bare tree and the flowers, it all caused emotions to surge inside Will. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

Will's empathy would never allow him to forget how wrong it was to find the scene  artistic but it was just the same. "It's beautiful." He complimented. "Is this my twelve day gift or something extra?" He asked, not turning away from the sight in front of him. 

"It's part of your gift." Hannibal replied smoothly. He had been standing a few feet away from Will but stepped closer as he spoke. He stopped when he was only an arms length away. 

Will turned around then, with eyebrows raised. "Only part?" He knew it didn't fit into the theme Hannibal had been following but he didn't want to assume. He watched curiously as the other man pulled something out of his pocket. 

Hannibal nodded then held up and opened a small box. "I'm afraid I only have one ring for you, if you choose to accept it."

Will was stunned as he looked at the ring Hannibal held in a hand. Even with it still sitting in it's box it was easy to see it had an elegant and yet simple look to it. It seemed to be white gold with five moderately sized diamonds embedded side by side down the center. 

Will felt surprised as he stared at the ring. Hannibal and him had talked about marriage before but just in casual conversation. Other than that Will hadn't really given the idea of them getting married too much thought beyond the occasional "what if?" in his mind . Hannibal obviously had thought about it though with the length he went to plan a proposal.

Will began to consider an answer to the unspoken question when Bedelia's words from long ago echoed in his mind; "But, do you ache for him?" They pulled him out of his thoughts. He met Hannibal's waiting gaze, met his dark eyes, and without more hesitation he answered, "Yes."

Hannibal smiled his small, honest, saved only for Will smile before taking Will's hand and sliding the ring on his finger. "There."  He said simply, not taking his eyes off Will. Hannibal place a hand on the other man’s cheek and leaned in for a chaste yet promising kiss. "We should head home." He wanted to be back on the road before it got too late in the morning. Will agreed. 

* * *

The drive home took longer than the drive to the forest. Forty minutes in and Will convinced Hannibal to pull over on one of the queit country roads. He hadn't wanted to wait nearly three more hours for a private celebration. 

Once Hannibal and Will made it to their cabin Hannibal got a fire going while Will let the dog out. Afterwards the two men found spot on the sofa next to each other, drinks in their hands. "Are we going to have to leave?" Will asked curiously as he thought back on his gift.

Hannibal shook his head. " No. Even if we are  questioned because of our brief encounter with the young man and your conversation, Charles had plenty of people who were less than found of him." He took a sip of wine before continuing. "We'll leave according to plan. It'll be a long time before they see any connection to the Ripper's crimes, if they do, and we'll be gone by then." He assured. They had a more permanent residence in mind but weren't planning on travelling there till the end of winter.

Will nodded as he took a drink from his glass. "About the display," he began, changing subjects. "I get red roses.They symbolize love, passion, lust, but why add the white roses? They represent purity and innocence." He took another deep drink of whiskey while staring at the fire. "That doesn't exactly fit me." Will finished as he watched the flames dance. He left the words; _"or you"_ unsaid. 

Hannibal placed his drink on the table next him. He faced Will, placed a hand on the younger man’s chin and turned his face towards his own. Meeting Will's blue eyes Hannibal slid the hand holding Will's chin to his cheek. "That's what white roses represent. White flowers in general symbolize those things too, along with hope. But, they also represent"  He paused for a brief moment, still meeting Will's gaze. "Perfection" Hannibal finished, putting so much meaning into that one word. Before Will could protest Hannibal's hand slid to the back of his head and he pulled him in for a kiss. 


End file.
